HOMEWORK—Any books brought to & from school were bound with a leather strap & carried at the hip. Children in early American schools had very little homework because they had responsibilities at home. All of their academic learning took place during the school day only. Consequently, unless the family could afford books, the only reading a student did was at school with the limited resources found there. Today, books and other school supplies are commonly brought to and from school in a backpack. Homework is considered a vital component of a comprehensive education and is expected of most students, even in the early grades. It is believe that taking advantage of evening and weekend hours will increase the content and skills children acquire. In some areas, this has led to a backlash; some communities are cutting back, claiming it interferes with family time.